Piano-bench.



C. F. HAWK.

PIANO BENCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 191a.

Patented May 2,1916.

pnirn CHARLES E. HAWK, or AKRON, OI-IIO.

PIANO-BENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed March 5, 1913. Serial No. 751,994.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. HAWK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPiano-Benches, of which the following is a specification.

The invention comprises an improved piano bench constructed substantially as herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide either a lower high and a horizontal or inclined seat by inverting the seat member and whereby the bench may be used in playing either a piano or player piano.

A further object is embodied in thetilting receptacle which is pivoted to co-act with the seat member in obtaining the fore going results and whereby the contents may be conveniently reached in either of the two positions in which said receptacle is adapted to be set.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear view in perspective of my improved seat or bench arranged for use with a player piano. Figs. 2 and 3 are cross sectional views of the seat or bench with its movable parts in two different rest positions and taken with the end boards of the receptacle removed.

As shown, the main frame of the seat or bench comprises end pieces 2 rigidly connected by two front rails 3 and a single rear rail 4. This makes an open frame but if preferred the front and ends may be inclosed 0r finished by panels or the like. A paneled effect is, however given by mounting a finished box or receptacle 5 within this frame, and this receptacle is preferably sub-divided into various compartments 6 which may be used to hold sheet music, music rolls, etc. In one position of the parts, see Fig. 2, the open top of the receptacle is covered and hidden by seat member 7 but as this member is pivotally connected with the projecting ends 8 of two links or bars 9, the said member may be raised, see dotted lines Fig. 2, to give access to the receptacle. The lower ends of bars 9 are pivotaliy secured to the inside of the frame ends 2 by bolts or screws 10 and this pivot connection with the frame is relatively near the rear side and bottom thereof and serves also as the pivot for the said receptacle through the ends thereof. In one position, the bars 9 are lnchned forwardly in respect to the frame and rest upon the upper front rail 3, see Fig. 2, thus supporting the seat member at lts front. The rear portion of the seat member is supported by projections 11 on the nside of each frame end 2, and these pro ections 11 also serve as stops and rests for bars 9 when they are carried to the rear to the reversely inclined position shown in Fig. 3. Seat member 7 is also rotated upon its pivots 12 on bars 9 and inverted during this movement so as to bring its free edge forward into a rest position upon a support 13,

which may be either an integral part of the frame ends 2 or an adjustable bracket secured thereon as shown. In Fig. 3, the seat member 7 is supported at a higher elevation and in a more or less inclined position than in Fig. 2, a result which is mainly accom plished by the shift position of bar 9] Ample operating clearance is provided between themovable and fixed part, and the seat support provided by the bar 9 is stable and fixed in either of the two rest positions shown.

In the present instance, bars 9 are mere strips of metal adapted to swing independently of the tilting box 5, but it is obvious that the entire end of the receptacle may constitute the tilting support for the seat member 7. In either case, the tilting support is preferably pivoted to raise and lower the secondary pivot 12 to different horizontal planes and to shift said secondary pivot 12 to opposite sides of the primary pivot 10, and to co-act with fixed stops or rests to fix the: said support and the seat member in different positions.

When the seat member 7 is inverted and inclined, and the receptacle 5 tilted rearwardly, the open end of the receptacle is projected outside of the main frame, thereby giving the occupant of the seat convenient access to the contents of the compartments.

It will be noticed that in its raised or higher position the seat supporting bars are swung to the rear of the bench against pins 11 and the seat rests at its front on the top of brackets 13, Fig. 3, whereas in its lower position the said bars are swung to the opposite side of the frame and rest against rail 3, and by reason of their lower ends being pivoted off center of the frame, or at the rear thereof at 10, the said bars carry the seat forward beneath the supports or projections 13. The receptacle 5 is an independent swinging member in the construction shown and free from the seat.

Nhat I claim is:

1. A. piano bench comprising a main frame, oscillatory supports pivotally engaged at their lower ends on the ends of said frame at one side of the middle thereof and adapted to swing from side to side therein at their upper ends, and a seat hinged at its ends and edge to the top ends of said supports and adapted to be inverted and to swing into seating positions on higher and lower planes according to the positions of said supports, and rests at each side of each end of the frame for the free edge of said seat; one pair of said rests limiting the forward motion of the tiltable members, the backward motion thereof being limited by a cross-bar of the frame.

2. A piano bench comprising a main frame and an invertible seat within theends thereof, vertically disposed oscillating supports for said seat next within the ends of the frame having each a pivot connection at its lower end on said frame and at its upper end with the end of said seat near one edge thereof, a rest at each end on each side of said frame for the free edge of said seat independent of the said oscillating supports; one pair of said rests limiting the forward motion of the tiltable members, the backward motion thereof being limited by a cross bar of the frame.

3. A piano bench comprising a frame, a pivotally mounted bar at each end of the said frame and a receptacle mounted in tilting relation with said frame, a seat member hinged on the ends of the said bars for in vertible movement and adapted to be raised to tilt the receptacle, stops to limit the tilted positions of the said bars and receptacle and rests at each side of each end of the frame for the free edge of said seat, one pair of said rests limiting the forward motion of the tiltable members and a crossbar limiting the backward motion thereof.

i. A piano bench consisting of a frame and a seat and tilting members upon the frame pivotally engaged with the seat, and adjustable rests'on the frame for the free end of the seat to co-act with said tilting members in supporting the seat in one of the positions assumed by the parts, and means on the frame for limiting the forward and backward motion of the tiltable members.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. HAWK.

Witnesses:

F. C. MUSSUN, E. M. FISHER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the. Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

